Music-leaf turner.



No. 811,993. PATENTED FEB. 6, 1906.

- J. & J. G. BAHL.

MUSIC LEAF TURNER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24, 1905.

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J. & J. C. BAHL. MUSIC LEAF TURNER.

nrmourmn FILED run. 24, 1905.

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PATENTED FEB. 6, 1906.

J. & J. G. BAHL.

MUSIC LEAF TURNER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR24,1905.

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PATENTED FEB. 6, 1906.

J. & J. c. BAHLQ MUSIC LEAF TURNER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.24, 1905.

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MUSIC LEAF TURNER. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24, 1905.

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MUSIC-LEAF TURNER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6, 1906.

Application filed March 24, 1905. Serial No. 251,889.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, J OSEPH BAHL and J os- EPH CHRISTIAN BAHL, citizensof the United States, and residents of Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented an Improvement in Pianos and Or ansa Music-Leaf Turnerof which the fo lowing, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, is a specification.

Our invention is an apparatus for automatically turning the leaves ofmusic. The musicleaf-turning mechanismbeing mounted on the front boardof pianos and organs, the leaves of music are turned over by means ofspring-actuated flat metal arms, all of which are secured to circularcups pivoted on a sin gle axle, said arms being successively released bymeans of an escapement which is operated by means of a finger-lever or apneumatic releasing device, whichever is the most conven ient to theplayer, the escapement being provided with both releasing means, and iscarried out as follows, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein Figure 1 is a front view of the music-leafturningmechanism. Fig. 2 is a to view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side view aclasp. Fig. 4is a side view of a hinged tooth in normal osition. Fig. 5is a side view of a hingetoot bent to the rear. Fig. 6 is a front viewof a finger-lever. same. Fi 8 is a rear view of the ratchetwheel of tieescapement and part of the levers with their awls. Fig. 9 is a frontperspective view 0 the vise. Fig. 10 is a front perspective view of acircular cup containing a spring. Fig. 11 is a three-quarter view of thebellows and pedal. Fig. 12 is a threeuarter view of an equivalentescapement, t 1e first tooth being in normal position. Fig. 13 is thesame, the first tooth being bent to the rear. Fig. 14 is a three-quarterview of an equivalent escapement. Fig. 15 is a threequarter view of anequivalent escapement. Fig. 16 is a front view of the arms when they areon the left side of the front board, showing the arrangement by whichthe arms disappear behind same. Fig. 17 is a top view of the same. Fig.18 is a part of the front board of a piano or a piano-case organ,showing the arrangement 0 the various parts of the music-leaf turnerwith the exception of the bellows mounted thereon. Fig. 19 is the same,but showing a different disappearing arrangement. Fig. 20 is a frontperspective view of Fig. 7 is a side view of the the rack portion of anorgan, showing, with the exception of the bellows, the arrangement ofthe various parts of the music-leaf turner mounted thereon. Fig. 21 isthe front board of a piano or a piano-case organ, showing thearrangement 0 the various parts of the music-leaf turner, with theexception of the bellows, mounted in a sunken panel. Said front board isonly partly shown.

Similar letters and numerals refer to similar parts wherever they occurin the different parts of the drawings.

The complete music-leaf turner consists of the music-leaf-turningmechanism A, the vise B, the finger-lever C, the bellows D, and theflexible tube E.

As the preferred form, the music-1eaf-turning mechanism A is mounted onthe rear face of the front boards of pianos and organs, the leaf-turningarms 1 rojecting in front of the front face of said ront boards bypassing through a slit thereon. Said music-leaf-turning mechanismconsists of a plurality of flat metal music-leaf-turning arms 1, theouter ends of which terminate in spring-pressed clasps 2. Their innerends are secured to circular cups 3, each arm being securedtoa cup. Saidcups 3 .are all perforated in the center, through which passes the axle4. All

the cups are pivoted on this axle 4. Inside of said cups are the coiledsprings 5, which throw the arms 1 a half-revolution from the right tothe left, one spring being in each cup. One end of said springs isfastened to the vertical groove 64 on the axle 4 and the other end isfastened to the inner walls of their respective cups. strengthening andwea ening the tension of the springs 5 within the cups 3, the axle 4 hasfastened to it a ratchet-wheel 21, and a pawl To rovide' a means of' 22,engaging the teeth of said ratchetwheel,

is pivoted on the base-plate 23 of the case 15. Said pawl is yieldinglyheld against the teeth of said ratchet-wheel by the spring 24. Toincrease the tension of said springs 5, the axlev 4 is turned to theright. The arms 1 being held in check by the escapement 1 1 prevent the'cups 3 from revolving, to whose inner walls one end of said springs isfastened, while the axle 4, to which the other ends are fastened, Windsup said springs. To weaken the tension of said springs, the awl 22 isdisengaged from the said ratchet-w eel 21. This causes the axle 4 torevolve to the left, thus unwinding the said springs. The leaves ofmusic are secured to the leaf-turning arms 1 by means of the clasps 2,consisting of two jaws 6 and 7. The jaw 6 is a continuation of the arm.The aw 7 is pivotally secured to the jaw 6 by the pin 8. Said pinsupports the spring 9, which presses the two jaws together at theirlower ends. The jaw 7 is provided with a loop 10 at its upper end, whichextends a little higher than the jaw 6. When the aw 6 of the first armand the jaw 7 of the last arm are pressed together by the player, thejaws 7 of all the clasps come in contact at their looped ends 10 andcause all the clasps to simultaneously open. In this way the leaves ofmusic are simultaneously released from the clasps 2 when through withthem. The inner surfaces of the jaws 6 and 7 are roughened bycross-lines. This prevents the leaves of music slipping out. The arms 1are held on the right side of the front board of piano or organ againstthe tension of their springs 5 by the escapement 11. Said escapementsuccessively releases said arms and consists of a shaft12, pivoted at 13and 14 on the walls of the casing 15. Said shaft has mounted thereon aplurality of hinge-constructed teeth 16, said teeth projecting from saidshaft in different directions and are situated in back of each other, soarranged that when the shaft 12 is partially revolved to the right thefirst tooth is removed from in front of the first arm, thus releasingsame. Said partial revolving movement'causes the tooth immediatelybehind the first tooth to come in front of the second arm, thus holdingin check all the rest of the arms. Another partial revolution in thesame direction removes the second tooth from in front of the second arm,releasing same, and the tooth immediately behind the second tooth comesin front of the third arm, these partial revolutions being continueduntil the last tooth releases the last arm. The mo'veinent'which removesthe last tooth from in front of the last arm does not replace it byanother tooth. Another partial revolution completes one revolutionof'the escapement and causes the first tooth to again project in thepath of said arms 1. Said teeth 16 are all of hinge construction',consisting of two parts 17 and 18, which are pivotally connected by thepin 19. A spring 20, one end of which is secured to the part 17 and theother end to the part 18, normally holds said part 17 extended. When thepressure occasioned by returning all or one or twoof the arms, as thecase may be, is brought to bear on any one of the teeth 16 which happento project in the path of said arms, the part 17 yields to the rear,tensioning the springs 20. In this way the arms are brought within theescapement without the teeth 16 interfering. The part 17 yielding to therear allows all arms to pass within the escapement. After the arms havepassed the part 17 resumes its normal position, and

thus prevents the arms turning to the left until released, as describedabove.

The successive partial revolving of the es capement 11, and therebysuccessively releasing the arms 1, is brought about by means of thefinger-lever C or the pneumatic releasing device consisting of thebellows D, the flexible tube E, the metal tube 25, and the metal captherefor 26, which fits over the tube 25. The finger-lever C is situatedon the lower part of the front board of pianos and organs and is pivotedon a pin 28, the rear end 29 having connection with the rod 30. Thefront end 31 is the part upon which the player presses to release anarm. A spring 32 is tensioned whenever the part 31 is depressed andcauses said part to regain its normal position. Vhen the pressurethereon is released, the rod 30 connects the finger-lever C to the lever33, which is pivotallysecured to the shaft 12 on the one end and theother end makes the connection with the rod 30 by means of the slit 34.The player pressing on the part31 of the finger-lever Cthe part 29 israised. This motion being imparted to the rod 30 causes an upward motionof the lever 33. Said lever 33 has pivoted thereon a pawl 37, whichengages a ratchet-wheel 38, secured to the shaft 12 of the escapement11. A spring 39 yieldingly holds the pawl 37 against the teeth of saidratchet-wheel. Said upward motion of the lever 33 causes the pawl 37 topartially revolve the escapement. When the pressure on the finger-ler erC is released, the lever 33 falls back in normal position by reason ofthe spring 40. The pawl 37 thenfalls back onthe following tooth of theratchet wheel 38. This partial revolution of the escapement 11 releasesone arm in the manner above described. The part 31 of the finger-lever Cis pivotally secured to the part 29 by the pin 35, and when saidfinger-lever is not used it is folded upward into a recess the shape ofthe part 31. The players hands being both occupied, the leaf-turningarms 1 are released by means of thepneumatic releas ing device D E 2526. A stud 41 on the metal cap 26 travels in the slot 34. Said cap 26fits over a metal tube 25, and when air is forced in the metal tube 25from without the cap 26 is lifted and causes an upward movement of thelever 33*. Said lever is provided with a pawl 37, a spring 39 for saidpawl, and a spring 40. These parts operate in the same way as the partsof the lever hen an arm is released by means of the finger-lever C, thepneumatic releasing device D E 25 26 remains inactive and the pawl 37serves to prevent the escapement from turning back in the wrongdirection. When the pneumatic releasing device is used, the pawl 37 thenserves this purpose, the lever 33 remaining inactive. The air-pressureis provided by means of a bellows D, operated by a pedal 42, which issituated at the lowerpart of the piano or organ next to the soft, loud,and other pedals now in use. The flexible tube E connects the bellows Dwith the metal tube 25. It being flexible, allows the free movement ofthe front board. The bellows D consists of an upper and a lower plate,43 the upper and 44 t e lower. Said plates are pivotally connected b thepin 45, which also serves to secure the ellows to the inner side of thepiano or organ case. Aleather portion 46, arranged in folds, is fastenedto said plates 43 and 44, so that the space between them is air-tight,with the exception of the two inlets 47 on the plate 43 and the flexibletube E. Said inlets are provided with flaps 48 on their inner sides,which open inward, caused by suction. When the plate 44 after havingbeen raised by the players foot depressing the pedal 42 again resumesits normal position, the opening of said flaps allows air to pass withinthe bellows to replenish the exhausted supply of air, the plate 44 againresumes its normal position by reason of the spring 49, which istensioned. Whenever the pedal 42 is depressed, the air-pressure withinthe bellows caused bv the upward movement of the plate 44 closes theflaps 48, so that the air is forced up through the flexible tube E,connected to the bellows. It is obvious that the construction andproportion of said bellows can be varied and that the inlets 48 can alsobe placed on the plate 44.

The vise B is mounted on a support 50, whichis pivotally secured in anopenin of the front board, so that when the Inus1c-lea turner is not inuse said sup ort 50 is reversed the face upon which t e vise is mountedis turned to the rear of the front board, and the rear face comes to thefront. A latch 27 locks said su port 50, so that when in use it remainsparallel to the surface of the front board. Said vise B consists of twojaws 51 and 51, which are separated and closed by means of a thumb-screw52, on one half of whose shaft the threading is turned opposite to thethreading on the other half. This arrangement causes the jaws 51 and 51"to separate when the thumb-screw 52 is turned in one direction and toclose when turned in the opposite direction. The thumb-screw 52 ispivoted on the bearings 53. This vise serves to hold the leaves of musictogether, as in a bound book, keeps them in the center of the frontboard, and keeps the leaves of music within reach of the clasps 2. Theaw 51 is provided with an indentation 54 and the jaw 51 with aprojection 55, which fits into the indentation 54. The inner surfaces ofsaid jaws are also roughened by cross-lines. The said indentation,projection, and cross-lines cause the leaves of music to be more firmlyheld.

The arms 1 have each pivotally secured to them a small plate 56, whichserves to mark the arms that are to be re-turned whenever a piece ofmusic has a passage which is of the sllding bar 60.

to be repeated. This plate 56 when not in use is in parallel position tothe arms 1, and when a piece of music is to be repeated the arm uponwhich it is secured" is marked, so as face of the front board byremoving a slide 58 from in front of an opening 62, which is largeenough to admit the clasps 2. The arms 1 are held close to the rear faceof the front board by the projection 59 on the inner end Said slidingbar asses through the front board and ends in a handle 61. To cause thearms 1 to project in front of the front board, the sliding bar 60 ispulled out, bringing the said arms with it, as the dotted lines show.moved over the opening 62, and thus prevents the said arms returning tothe inside. A flap covers up the long slit 62 when the musicleaf turneris not in use and is secured by hinges to the front board above said.slit. The said flap is swung upward when it is desired touse themusic-leaf turner.

An equivalent escapement, Figs. 12 and 13,

consists of a shaft 66, having two teeth 67 and 68 situated on the frontend thereof. The tooth 67 is situated a short distance to the rear ofthe tooth 68, said'teeth projecting from said shaft, so tion the tooth68 projects in the path of the leaf-turning arms and the tooth 67projects just outside of the path of said arms, so that when the shaft66 is partially revolved the tooth 68 is removed from the path of thefirst arm, thus releasing same. The tooth 67 with the same movementcomes in front of the second arm'before the first arm is released, thusholding all the following arms in check. As the shaft 66 again revolvesback to its normal position, the tooth 67 is removed from in that innormal posifront of the second arm, while the same move.

ment causes the tooth 68 to again project in the path of the remainingarms and prevents ayer desires to turn them turning until the p v Thetooth 68 is it being pivoted on a over the next leaf of music. of hingeconstruction,

in 69, and bends to the rear when pressure is brought to bear upon itfrom the front. This allows the arms to be readjusted for operation inthe manner described of the escapement 11. The tooth 68 .is normallyheld extended by the spring 70, which is tensioned when the said toothis bent to the rear. Said escapement is operated by the same means asthe escapement 11. The sipring-retracted levers 93 and 93 are fastene tothe escapement.

apart. When not in use, the arms. 1 are l a lowed to entirely disappearfrom the front The slide 58 is then i IIO Another equivalent escapement,Fig. 14, consists of a plurality of tooth-carrying members 71, pivotedon an axle 72, and a successive depressing device 74. Eachtooth-carrying member has pivotally secured to it one of the teeth 73.Said teeth normally project downward from their tooth-carrying members,but yield to the rear when pressure is brought to bear upon them fromthe front for the purpose given in the description of the teeth 16 inthe above. The one end of the springs 75, one on each tooth, istensioned when the teeth 73 are bent to the rear and cause them toresume their normal positions. A projection 76, one on each tooth,prevents their respective teeth from bending to the front. The otherends of the springs are coiled in circular recesses 77, one on eachtooth-carrying member, and are fastened to a groove 78 on the axle 72.These other ends of the springs normally hold the toothcarrying members71 in a slightly-upward position at approximately fifteen degrees fromhorizontal. The successive depressing device 74 consists of a shaft 79,having mounted thereon a plurality of projections 80, one of them foreach tooth-carrying member. Said depressing device 74 revolves in thesame way as the escapement 11 and is caused by the same means. Theseprojections successively come in contact with their respectivetooth-carrying members and cause same to be depressed, so that the teeth73 successively project in the path of the leafturning arms. The coiledends of the springs 75 inthe circular depressions 77 cause theirrespective tooth-carrying members to regain their normal positions whenthe respective projections 80 have revolved so far as to cease being incontact with said tooth-carrying members. A tooth-carrying memberregaining its normal position in this manner removes itsrespective toothfrom in front of the arm it held and the said arm is then released.

The equivalent escapement, Fig. 15, consists of a plurality oftooth-carrying members 81, each carrying. a pivotally-mounted tooth 82.Said tooth-carrying members are pivoted on an axle 83 and are normallyheld downward in approximately fifteen degrees from vertical by theupper part of the coiled springs 84, which are contained in the circularrecesses 85 of the said tooth-carrying members. The upper ends of thesprings 84 are fastened to the axle 83 in the groove 86. The other endsof the said springs are secured to the teeth 82 and normally keep themprojecting downward. Said teeth are adapted to bend to the rear, for thesame purpose as the teeth 16 of the escapement 11. Said tooth-carryingmembers 81 are successively deflected from their normal positions andcause the teeth 82 to successively project in the path of the arms bythe deflecting device 87, constructed and operated the same as thedepressing device 74 of the escapement, Fig. 14.

In the music-leaf turner, Fig. 19, the music-leaf-turning mechanism A ismounted upon the front face of a pivotally-mounted panel 88 in anopening on the front board of pianos and organs. The vise B and thefinger-lever C are also mounted on the said panel 88. The finger-lever Cis not provided with the recess 36, as is the finger-lever C. It isunnecessary here. The flexible tube E is connected to a metal tube 89.Said metal tube fits over the end of a metal tube 90, which is connectedto the metal tube 25 of the music-leaf-turning mechanism A, and alsoserves as a point of ivot for the panel 88. In this way the bel ows Dalways has communication with the metal tube 25 of themusic-leaf-turning mechanism A regardless of the position of the panel88 in relation to the front board. The panel 88 is shown partlyreversed. The tube 90 and the rod 30 are placed inside the thickness ofthe panel 88, so that its rear face has no projecting parts. When themusic-leaf turner is not in use, the panel 88 is reversed, so that itsempty rear face comes to the front. The latch 91 serves to hold thepanel 88 parallel to the front board.

Themusic-leaf turner, with the exception of the bellows D, is shownmounted on a stationary music-leaf rack of an organ, Fig. 20. Themusic-leaf-turning mechanism A together with vise B and the finger-leverC are mounted on the front face of the said rack. Said parts operate asalready above described.

The music-leaf turner, with the exception of the bellows D, is shown,Fig. 21, mounted in a sunken panel on the front board of a piano ororgan. The music-leaf-turning mechanism A together with the vise B andthe finger-lever 0 are mounted on the front face of said panel. Twosliding doors 92 and 92 cover these parts when not in use.

What we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is

1. In a music-leaf turner, in combination, a series'ofindependently-swinging arms having means to engage the leaves, and anescapement mechanism comprising a shaft having a series of hinged teetharranged to engage said arms respectively and to release the same byrotation of the shaft.

2. In a music-leaf turner, in combination, a series ofindependently-swinging arms having means to engage the leaves, and anescapement mechanism comprising a shaft having thereon a series ofhinged teeth projecting from the shaft in different directions andengageable with the arms, and means to turn the shaft intermittently, torelease the arms successively.

3. In a music-leaf turner, in combination, a

series of swinging leaf-carrying arms, and an escapement mechanismcomprising a shaft having thereon a ratchet and a series of teethengaging the arms respectively, and a manually-operated pawl engageablewith the ratchet to turn the shaft.

4. In a music-leaf turner, in combination, a series of swingingleaf-carrying arms, an es. cagement mechanism having a shaft provi edwith teeth engaging the arms, and pneumatically-actuated means to turnthe shaft intermittently, to release the arms successively.

5. The combination with a music-board having a reversible section, of amusic-leaf turner 0n the board,'and a music-holding clamp on saidreversible section, arranged to hold music-sheets at the fold when theyare engaged by the turner.

6. The combination with a music-board having a slot therein, of amusic-leaf turner having a series of arms which may be advanced orretracted throu h the slot, and a flap arranged to cover the s ot whenthe arms are retracted.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 21st day of JOSEPH BAHL.JOSEPH CHRISTIAN BAHL. Witnesses:

AUG. M. PETERSEN, EUGENE BURNITZ.

